Fleet Management

East/Gulf Coast Port Negotiations Resume

Negotiations are set to resume today regarding the potential East/Gulf Coast port strike on Feb. 6 between the United States Maritime Alliance and the International Longshoremen's Association.

The talks are scheduled to last for three days and are the first meetings between the two groups since the December decision to extend the deadline.

This February deadline is the second extension of a nationwide master contract that was originally set to expire in September.

The sticking point of container royalty payments has been agreed upon in principle by both parties. These royalties supplement the wages of the longshoremen, but the details of the fee and many other topics have yet to be negotiated.